Rally, march planned in Mt. Pleasant

A rally and march in support of a Canadian indigenous people’s rights is set for Friday in Mt. Pleasant.

The rally – billed as a flash mob round dance - is set for 1 p.m. at the Towne Center, according to a statement from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.

“Flash mob round dances have been springing up all over malls around the United States and Canada to show support of solidarity to First Nations Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat Cree Nation,” said a statement from Tribal Public Relations Director Frank Cloutier. Spencer went on a hunger strike a month ago, demanding to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The meeting is set for Friday.The event is connected to a grass-roots movement called Idle No More, which got its start on social media , using the Twitter hashtag #IdleNoMore. Activists say they are concerned that recent Canadian legislation will erode aboriginal treaty rights and protection of waterways that cross Native lands.

The Saginaw Tribal Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the First Nations opposed to the legislation, said Chief Dennis Kequom.

Cloutier said the demonstration is expected to march down Main Street to the Central Michigan University campus, where another round dance is scheduled. Mt. Pleasant downtown development director Michelle Sponseller said in a Facebook post that no streets would be closed, but traffic may be slowed on Main Street.